Reports: 'Everton close to deal for Bowler'

That was a great start, but we seem to have slowed down since then — we need to get them in early to be well prepared for next season's early start. Doesn't training restart on 3rd July?

As for first team now. That will be good too. Just maybe our club knows exactly what it is doing and my prediction is another place up in league and at least a final. This is early days, lads and lasses, but you can see what they are doing.

No reason why this guy can't during the season.

It is good that the U23 team is being properly looked after as there is a fair chance that we will have to produce a few gems from the academy if we are to push into top 4.

If he cant get into the QPR team then we shouldn't even be looking at him. We are turning ourselves into a buying club rather than a developing club of youth players which I think is a real backward step.

١m could be used for a lot better things at the club rather than a kid who isn't going to cut it with us.

I know certain posters will point out that it's the way the big/best clubs are run and that's probably true.

I don't have to like it though.

I find the comment oddly one-sided – why can't we buy promising youths, and nuture home grown talents? Why can't we spend on this youth talent and invest in the youth academy and facilities? We don't progress by expecting to pop out Wayne Rooneys – we will progress my making our under 21 set up as good as possible. That will involve nurturing the very talented, buying the very talented, and raising the general standard of our youth set up.

If we are going to bridge the gap, it has to come by investment in youth at younger ages. To follow the Wenger model, to follow the model used by the big clubs – to buy sensibly, to nurture, and to progress those players into the first team.

It's not an 'either/or' situation as Rob tries to paint it – either we develop our own academy players, or we buy youth and potential from other clubs. It's an 'and-and' situation.

We clearly continue to have an excellent, well-structured academy set-up across all ages that the club apparently continues to develop and refine. This is reflected in how well represented Everton players are in major youth international tournaments.

To that we can add our scouting and recruitment of teenage players has yielded very good results in the last 3-4 years: Stones, Galloway, Holgate, Lookman, Calvert-Lewin have all progressed to the first team, not looked out of place and, as Stones has already proven, are worth considerably more than what we paid for them.

David Unsworth spoke recently how he is allowed to recruit specifically for the Under-23 squad. And whilst not all of these kind of transfers will pay off, I for one am impressed at this sea change at Everton which appears a very professional, rather than bumbling Corinthian amateurism, approach which best serves the short- and long-term interests of the club.

We need to replace them too, if nobody is coming through the ranks in the age group.

Totally agree with you and not the pessimistic doom merchants that never seem to see a positive.

The change in the running of the club has been seismic in the last 18 months. It had to change of course and it is. It'll take time of course and what's wrong with investing in some decent young talent?

Our scouts can't be expected to attract all top prospects before 16. It's how big clubs have operated for about a decade. Let's not forget that Coleman was a late developer and there are several others who have progressed through recently whether directly or via a previous academy, be it MK Dons or Sheffield Utd.

Developing young talent can't be a bad exercise can it, though the problem is giving them a chance in the first team. Koeman is under pressure all the time to produce the best possible result, so is more than likely to go with the most experienced player.

You can argue that, if their good enough they will get their chance. Yes, if they stand out a mile such as Rooney did, its the borderline ones that lose out.

I thought Galloway and Browning did well when Martinez gave them a few games, they seem to have slipped off the radar now somewhat. Galloway did particularly well I thought; Browning got injured at a crucial time for him which has hindered his progress.

I would like to see first team signings rather than sweeping up youth players who have a real outside chance of making it.

I hope the lad has a massive future with us, like I do for all new signings; for all I know he could turn out to be the new Rooney and if our academy lacks a ١m winger, then why not?

Or if we need to buy a striker and loan him out straight away, why not? It just doesn't sit right with me.

Why would any manager not want money spent to improve his team?

And what evidence is that there this is being forced on Unsworth? And more to the point, when would that matter anyway? I can imagine other big managers not signing high potential youngsters for fear of upsetting a youth coach, of which there is zero evidence he is upset. Do you think Walsh and Koeman are working without any knowledge of our present youth structure and personnel?

It is worth noting, for those who forget, that we signed Stones, Holgate and others as youths. They've made it – and others will too.

I think people will always find a desire to complain on these forums, whatever happens. It is exhausting to read and it must be exhausting to live. Why not take the positives, which are obvious, rather than focus on constructed and over-egged fears? If our "home grown" youths are good enough then they will make it – the same will go for the ones we buy.

If you don't cost 㿀M, you are not seen as fit for service in the Premier League these days!

That was completely nonsensical. What does signing youth team players have to do with Davies getting a place in the first team? What are you talking about?

I also like that Everton treat the U23s as they should and anyone over the age of 21 doesn't really play for them, unless it's recovery games for the first team (eg, Mo Besic).

I haven't followed the U18s as closely the last season, and not paid any attention to the U16s. However, results were not good and this seems to be the course of their development. It seems the next crop after our current Champions are lacking.

If this is really the case, and I hope the reality is different to how it looks, then why shouldn't we be improving that side by bringing in a few better players who look capable of playing for the first team in a couple of years?

A coach can only work with a player's natural ability. Therefore, if the U18s are not good enough, why not bring in some better players to continue the conveyor belt artificially?

I don't get your point.

Davies always played deeper for the U23s and the U18s. He is a similar type of player to Schneiderlin for me. He can also do Gueye's role, snapping at players and winning the ball. The difference to Gueye is that Davies is much better in possession of the ball, whilst Gueye has more experience.

I foresee Koeman playing the two holding midfielders next season. We should be playing 60 games next season and, with two positions up for grabs, then Davies should get a lot of games, and Barry will figure as well.

Klaassen will compete for the No 10 slot ahead of them or perhaps, as Koeman showed when playing McCarthy and Davies in the No 10 position, Klaassen will play a bit deeper with the two wide men more narrow and playing more as strikers in a front three. This appeared to be how Koeman wanted to play more often at the end of the season, and so the No 10 was actually an No 8.

It is Barkley's position that it is under threat to Klaassen, though he played right side of the front three more often in the final games.

3-4-3

Here, Klaassen would be more likely to be an AM and Davies a DM.

4-5-1

Here Klaassen would again be more likely to be in the AM slot and Davies a DM.

Koeman's 4-3-3 at end of season:

4-3-3

This is what I think Koeman wants to play. Here, Klaassen is perfect as the CM. A lot deeper than the previous AMs, which are more the position of Barkley or Sigurdsson. This position, an old fashioned 8, going box to box, is more up his street.

Barkley is he stays will line up in the right AM role and then there's nothing stopping Sigurdsson coming in and taking the left AM role. What we don't want is Lookman or Calvert Lewin there, if they play they should be further forward and wider, as per the position in a 4-5-1.

Davies, could rival Klaassen for the No 8 role in this 4-3-3, he has the skills, but he is not a natural No 10, whereas Klaassen is not a natural defensive midfielder.